April Agricultural Prices Received
Released: April 30, 2009
For more information contact: Carmen Pennington or Steve Andersonat 1-800-835-2612.
 
Montana crop prices for the full month of March 2009 were mostly lower when compared with the previous month. The March to February price comparisons are: winter wheat was $5.57 per bushel, down $0.33, spring wheat decreased $0.22 to $6.97 per bushel, and durum wheat dropped $0.90 to $8.22 per bushel. Feed barley prices decreased $0.10 to $2.62 per bushel, but malt barley increased $0.08 to $6.01 per bushel. Oats were $3.14 per bushel.

The mid-April price for alfalfa hay was down $4.00 from March to $121.00 per ton, but other hay increased $21.00 to $115.00 per ton. Mid-April grain prices were down when compared with March 2009. Winter wheat was $5.44 per bushel, spring wheat was $6.50 per bushel, durum wheat was $8.07 per bushel, feed barley was $2.48 per bushel, and malt barley was $4.99 per bushel.

Livestock prices for the full month of March 2009 were mixed when compared with February 2009. March to February price comparisons are: steers and heifers increased $1.90 to $94.60 per cwt, cows increased $2.10 per cwt to $43.50, beef cattle decreased $2.20 to $77.70 per cwt, calves were down $1.00 to $107.00 per cwt, sheep were up $1.00 to $28.70 per cwt, lambs dropped $6.00 to $106.00 per cwt, and all milk decreased $5.60 to $11.30 per cwt. The mid-April 2009 prices were mostly higher, as follows: steers and heifers, $97.60 per cwt, cows, $45.20 per cwt, beef cattle, $77.20 per cwt, calves, $109.00 per cwt, and all milk, $11.20 per cwt.

Nationally, prices for March 2009 and changes from February were: winter wheat was $5.26 per bushel, unchanged, spring wheat was $6.50 per bushel, down $0.12, durum wheat was $7.63 per bushel, up $0.10, all barley was $4.88 per bushel, down $0.06, steers and heifers were $84.00 per cwt, up $0.20, cows were $44.60 per cwt, up $0.70, beef cattle were $79.00 per cwt, up $0.20, calves were $107.00 per cwt, up $2.00, sheep were $33.10 per cwt, up $1.20, lambs were $100.00 per cwt, unchanged, and all milk was $11.80 per cwt, up $0.20.

The U.S. mid-April prices were: winter wheat was $5.16 per bushel, spring wheat was $6.27 per bushel, durum wheat was $7.87 per bushel, all wheat was $5.69 per bushel, malt barley was $5.14 per bushel, feed barley was $2.72 per bushel, steers and heifers were $87.70 per cwt, cows were $47.50 per cwt, beef cattle were $82.80 per cwt, calves were $109.00 per cwt, and all milk was $12.00 per cwt.

The preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by Farmers in April, at 131 percent, based on 1990-92=100, increased 5 points (4.0 percent) from March. The Crop Index is up 9 points (6.2 percent) and the Livestock Index increased 3 points (2.8 percent). Producers received higher prices for lettuce, cattle, soybeans, and onions and lower prices for strawberries, snap beans, apples, and cauliflower. In addition to prices, the overall index is also affected by the seasonal change based on a 3-year average mix of commodities producers sell. Increased monthly marketings of strawberries, sweet corn, cattle, and lettuce offset decreased marketings of soybeans, corn, wheat, and hogs.
 
MONTANA AVERAGE FARM PRICES RECEIVED

BASE MONTH:
March 2009 		U
N
I
T		     Monthly Average Change From Mid-Month Avg.
MONTANA U.S. Prev Mo Prev Yr Montana U.S.
Mar
2008 		Feb
2009 		Mar
2009		 Mar
2009 		Feb
2009 		Mar
2008		 Apr 15
2009		 Apr 15
2009
Winter Wheat
Durum Wheat
Spring Wheat
Wheat, All
Barley
Feed Barley
Malt Barley
Oats 1/ 		Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu. 		8.26
14.40
8.84
8.73
4.23
4.49
4.15
N/A		 5.90
9.12
7.19
6.62
5.56
2.72
5.93
N/A		 5.57
8.22
6.97
6.20
5.39
2.62
6.01
3.14		 5.26
7.63
6.50
5.70
4.88
2.73
5.40
2.77		 -0.33
-0.90
-0.22
-0.42
-0.17
-0.10
+0.08
N/A		 -2.69
-6.18
-1.87
-2.53
+1.16
-1.87
+1.86
N/A		 5.44
8.07
6.50
5.95
4.54
2.48
4.99
N/A		 5.16
7.87
6.27
5.69
4.78
2.72
5.14
2.16
Alfalfa Hay
All Other Hay
All Hay Baled 		Ton
Ton
Ton 		86.00
80.00
85.00		 111.00
103.00
110.00		 125.00
94.00
123.00		 137.00
109.00
129.00		 +14.00
-9.00
+13.00		 +39.00
+14.00
+38.00		 121.00
115.00
120.00		 133.00
117.00
129.00
Steer & Heifers
Cows
Beef Cattle 2/
Calves
Sheep 3/
Lambs 3/
All Milk		 Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.		 96.80
51.20
91.30
120.00
19.50
99.20
19.40		 92.70
41.40
79.90
108.00
27.70
112.00
16.90		 94.60
43.50
77.70
107.00
28.70
106.00
11.30		 84.00
44.60
79.00
107.00
33.10
100.00
11.80		 +1.90
+2.10
-2.20
-1.00
+1.00
-6.00
-5.60		 -2.20
-7.70
-13.60
-13.00
+9.20
+6.80
-8.10		 97.60
45.20
77.20
109.00
N/A
N/A
11.20		 87.70
47.50
82.80
109.00
N/A
N/A
12.00
1/ Insufficient sales to establish a price. 2/ Composite of steers, heifers, and cows. 3/ Mid-month prices for sheep and lambs discontinued January 1996.
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